#5 Professionals Achieving a Million Dollar Vocabulary

Tip: For professionals who are serious about achieving a "million dollar vocabulary", we highly recommend you try the popular vocabulary-building software, Ultimate Vocabulary. Click Ultimate Vocabulary for more details.*

Professionals and those that appear to have rich vocabulary knowledge can also benefit from vocabulary development. When we generalise about those that would benefit from improving vocabulary, we often do not situate the highly educated and the professional into this group. However, promotions, career development, winning job interviews, and high esteem are all benefits associated with achieving a million dollar vocabulary.

First impressions make lasting impressions. We know that it is the visual that makes the most significant first impression, but how you speak and the words you use also contribute to first impressions. They can give you the head start you need. It doesn’t matter what you have to sell – product, idea, or yourself – what and how you say it matters. With a rich and confident vocabulary, you are one step closer to achieving immediate and future goals.

The Reasons for Developing Your Vocabulary

By acquiring a powerful vocabulary:

  • You are able to communicate and express concepts and thoughts in a more clear and accurate manner;
  • A million dollar vocabulary will help you excel and make you stand out;
  • You are often viewed in higher esteem and reputation;
  • Reading those important documents becomes easier and more enjoyable;
  • Because vocabulary is linked to problem-solving, your analytical skills are sharpened;
  • General communication is improved;
  • Communication becomes streamlined as you are able to use the precise words that are needed to convey the message (Ediger, 1999).

Rich vocabularies not only assist us in the workplace, they help us gain entry into our work environments of choice. For example, the Texas Southern University Career Planning and Placement Center placed “inarticulate, poor grammar, vocabulary, [and] diction” as 1 of the top 10 reasons for rejection from job interviews (TSU, 2009).

An Effective Method Used to Develop Vocabulary

For those that already possess a good depth of vocabulary but require a million dollar vocabulary, tools like the Ultimate Vocabulary software can offer you a solution. It offers more than 50 usage examples, word history, visual word explorer, encyclopedia information, and images for every word. There is a Word Messenger™ that periodically reminds you of your word list as you work. The Learning Curve™ adapts to your learning by not including already mastered words in exercises or tests. The Audio Pronunciation (human not computerised) enables you to listen to high quality pronunciation, avoiding the embarrassment of mispronouncing words at your work or in a social environment.

First impressions are enduring. What you say and how you say it form lasting impressions. Give yourself an advantage and present an articulate, confident, and intelligent you. Vocabulary development will help you achieve this.

References

Ediger, M, ‘Reading and Vocabulary Development’ (1999) Journal of Instructional Psychology (viewed 1 February 2009).

TSU (Texas Southern University), Career Planning & Placement: Professional Development; Interviewing Techniques; Career Counseling (2009) (viewed 2 February 2009).